Phaedron's entire form was wracked with fear as it saw the Anathema, something that had hoped to destroy its home with twisted abominations and mortals blinded by the Dark. It quickly tempered its fear, no matter how great it was. Phaedron saw the images, and consulted with its master.
My lord! What are these things?! Are they a threat?
Phaedron. Stand your ground. You cannot hope to stand against the Anathema.
But Poena, she-
Silence! If your ward cannot hold her temper for one moment, you will have to dispose of her.
My lord?! What has she done to deserve such a thing?
The Voidwalker had already severed contact. Phaedron felt a terrible pit of doubt and guilt form in its heart. It was torn between duty and a sense of loyalty to Poena. It shoved aside the feeling, and stood near Poena, tentatively searching for a possible avenue for her escape, so that she might continue to live.
The Chained God commands Phaedron to kill Poena when its master feels that she is not capable to kill Astra'ath.
<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>
The Great Ship felt a hint of annoyance as it heard the Morai, those who had been entrusted to be protected, discuss shutting her down, to consider letting her guard down for even a moment. Its 'mind' blocked off all access to the terminals that would enable them to shut her down, rerouted the wiring and power core linkages, and reinforced the firewalls in her computer system. She then turned to the outer sensors, waiting for the force of darkness to come.
The ship denies the Morai access to any means to shut her down.
<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>-<>
Akat'av, the Scholar, crawled across the surface of the ringworld known as Aether, searching for the sentient life forms that it was to bring to new heights of dizzying splendor. Its five 'legs' were quite slow, even on this world's lessened gravity, and so Akat'av flicked the ground with a modicum of psychic energy, propelling it into the sky. It sustained its flight with ease, and the Scholar lost itself for a moment in the cool breeze. It saw a small village of huts, and decided to make its entrance there.
It landed in the center of the village, near a pile of glowing embers, the remnants of a fire. It opened its petal-like mouth and screeches in welcome. It realized that its wards were very much like the Humans it had lead to greater heights of pleasure and knowledge before, and so attempted to speak in English. When the Aether elves failed to understand it, it tried German, French, Spanish, Latin, Aleut, Abenaki, the tongue of the Atlanteans, but to no avail. It knew that its only option was to use telepathy. It opened its mind, and touched those of all the sentients in the village.
Hello. My name is Akat'av, the Scholar. I am here to teach.